Spool boxing machines



Nov. 4, 1958 M. CURRY =sP0oL BOXING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 5, 1956 INVENTOR. Malcolm Curry 'ATTOR x I Nov. 4, 1958 M. CURRY SPOOL BOXING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 F.iled out. 5, 1956 INVENTOR Malcolm Curry Nov. 4, 1958 M. CURRY 2,858,656

' SPOOL BOXING MACHINES Filed Oct. 5, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 4

- 'INVENTOR. Malcolm Curry )5 L Q I I aawwggz Nov. 4; 1958 M., CURRY SPOOL BOXING MACHINES.

4 'sheats -sheet 4 Filed Oct. 5, 1956 a byinnnum INVENTOR. Malcolm Curry ATTORNE s United States Patent SPOOL BOXING MACHINES Malcolm Curry, Roxbury Township, Morris County, N. J., assignor to The American Thread Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application October 5, 1956, Serial No. 614,176 6 Claims. (01. 53-166) One of the objects of the invention is to provide a machine of this character which is simple in construction, and capable of automatically operating at high speed to pack the spools in boxes with a predeterminednumber of spools, generally a dozen, to each box and with the spools arranged in predetermined relation.

Another of the objects ofthe invention is to provide a noveland improved boxing machine of the character indicated.

The several features of the invention, whereby these and other object smay be attained, will be readily understood from the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view, partly in section and with parts broken away, of a portion of a machine embodying features of the invention in their preferred form;

. Fig. 2 is asectional view, partly in elevation, taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3; and Y "Fig.3 is spam view of the portion of the machine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. '4 is a plan view corresponding to a portion of Fig. 3 of a modified construction;

Fig.5 is a rear side view of the same with parts broken away;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view, partly in elevation, taken on the line 66 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a similar view with the parts in a difierent position;

Fig. 8 is a view corresponding to Fig. 4 of another modified form;

' Fig. 9 is a sectional view, partly in elevation, taken on the line 99 of Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a sectional view, partly in elevation, taken on the line 10-10 of Fig. 9.

The machine illustrated in the drawings, is particularly adapted for boxing spools 2 in open-topped cardboard boxes 4 as the spools are delivered from a spool labeling machine. The spools may be provided with flanges 6, a barrel between the flanges on which the thread is wound, and an axial bore 8. The spools may have annular labels 10 surrounding the ends of the bores, on which the yardage'and size of the thread and other data may be printed.

Theform of machine illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 is particularly adapted to wind spools of the kind in which the tickets or labels 10 on the ends of the spool are annular. and surround the ends of the bores or are in alinement .with' the bores, the labels not covering the bores. The labels may have printed thereon the yardage and size of the thread and other data.

The spools, after being wound and the labels 10 applied, may be delivered to the boxing machine by means comprising a raceway 12 which is inclined downwardly andinwardly, with suitable guide rails 13 for guiding the spools as theyroll down the raceway. At the inner end i of the raceway 12 a table or spool support 14 is mounted which forms a horizontal continuation of the bottom of the raceway. The spools, as they leave the raceway 12, ride over the support 14 until the foremost spool engages a fixed stop member 16 which may be secured to or form a part ofthe machine frame.

The support 14 is of such length and the stop member 16 is so positioned that a group of three spools only can be delivered to the support at one time.

- The spools of each group, when on the support, are so positioned as to be arranged in axial alinement with three pins 18 that project from a reciprocable head 20 which is adapted to be operated by any suitable means through a rod 22. p

Mounted to slide transversely over the spool support 14 is a plunger 24 which may be operated by any suitable means through a plunger rod 26. This plunger has an outwardly projecting flange 28 on the inner side thereof.

When a group of three spools has been delivered to the support 14, the plunger 26 advances so as to thread the spools on the end portions of the pins 18. ,During this movement of the plunger, the flange 28 thereon holds back the column of spools in the raceway 12. When the three spools have thus been deposited on the ends of the pins 18, the plunger 26 is retracted, thus permitting the next group of three spools to be delivered to the support 14. The operation of the plunger 24 is repeated so as to move the second group of spools against the first group on the pins 18, and then to repeat its movement until the second group has been threaded on the pins. The operation is further repeated until four groups of three spools have thus been deposited on the pins 18. It will be noted that the spools on each pin are arranged end-to-end, and that the sides of each column of spools on the several pins are in substantial contact with each other.

When the four groups of spools have thus been placed on the pins 18, a box 4 is moved upwardly so as to cause the upper portions of its walls to enclose. the lower portions of the several groups of spools on the pins, as indicated by broken lines in Fig. 1.

When this occurs, the reciprocating head 20 is quickly retracted, thus causing the pins 18 to be withdrawn from the spools and the spools to drop to the bottom of the box 4. It will be noted that the spools only drop a distance substantially less than the height of the box, and that theyare received in the box in the same relative positions that they were positioned on the pins 18, thus uniform packing of the spools in the box is insured.

The box 4, thus filled with spools, is then lowered and discharged from the machine. As the box of spools is discharged from the machine, another box is advanced into position beneath the pins 18 and the box-filling operation is repeated.

As shown, the boxes 4 are delivered to the machine by means of an'endless conveyor 30 on which the boxes are arranged one behind the other in side-by-side relation,

the boxes being guided by guide plates 31. This conveyor may be driven continuously, and the boxes successively delivered to an elevator platform 32 which has a depending inner flange 34, a fixed filling-in strip 36 be ing mounted between the inner end of the conveyor and the platform over which the boxes slide from the conveyor to the' platform. I 4

The platform 32 is adapted to be raised and lowered, as above described, by any suitable means through a rod 38. a

, When a box is fed on the platform 32, its advancing movement is arrested by a stop 40 on the end of a bracket arm 42 that-projects from the upper end of a sleeve 44 mounted to slide on the rod 38, by any suitable 3 means. As the platform 32 reaches its lowermost position as shown in Fig. 1, and a box is fed on to the platform, the stop 40 limits such movement of the box, and thisin mm A prevents .the. boxes on :the. conveyonfifiirom advancing further, they being slidable on the conveyor.

.Astheplatform 32 is elevated toits upper position as above described,.the.flange. 34 holds back the boxes on the conveyor.30, and. atthistime the.stop 40.may.b.e retracted to a positionbelow .thetop surface of the platform 32.

When the platformlowers the filled box toits initial position, the advancing boxes on the conveyor discharge the box from .the platform 32 and upon an inclined .endless conveyor 46 to a conveyor .48 which ,carries the fille'd'boxes jfrorn themachine. During this time, the stop '40 has been retracted to ,allow .fordischarging of the'filledbox, but is quickly returned to stoppingpositionas soon as thefilled box tips to be ,carrieddown by the conveyor-46am before the next empty box reaches the limit of its advanced position. .As the boxes are conveyed away by the conveyor 48, the covers may be placed thereon by hand or any suitable means.

It will be apparent that my machine is simple inconstruction, and is capable of expeditiously operating automatically to uniformly pack the spools in-theboxes and discharge the'fille'd 'boxes 'from the machine.

The'forni of machine shown in Figs. 4 through 7 is particularly adapted for boxing spools of the kind in which'the tickets or labels are not provided with central apertures, the labels covering the ends of the bores of the spools, the machine as shown being adapted to boxnine spools instead of twelve.

In this machine, instead of the plunger 24 delivering the groups of spools to the pins 18, the groups are delivered to troughs 50 that are arcuate in cross section and have their outer ends open as shown. These troughs are arranged axially parallel, and the spools received in each trough are arranged end-to-end, the same as on the pins 18 as above described.

When a predetermined number of groups of spools have been delivered to the troughs, the troughs .are turned 180 degrees so as to cause the spools to drop therefromand into a box 4 on a platform 52 positioned beneath the troughs. The troughs are then returned to their initial position to receive the next groupof. spools, and the operation is repeated.

Thetroughs have their inner ends secured on shafts 54 that'extend through hearings in an upright 56 on the machine frame.

The shafts are revolved simultaneously through interme'shing'gears'58, one of the shafts having an extension 60 that is operated from any suitable driving means (not shown). In case the spools in the right-hand trough, viewing Fig. '6, tend to drop outside of the ,box due to the-direction of rotation of the trough, a guide plate 61 or other suitable means may be provided for guiding the spools into the box. Such improper discharge of the spools may also be overcome by changing the gearing so as to cause the.right-hand trough to rotate in .a: c.ounterclockwise direction.

As shown, thebox-receiving platform 52 is stationary, and, a conveyor 61,.corresponding to the conveyor 300i Fig. lysuccessively delivers the boxes thereon against a stop-62i, whichis retracted when the box isQfilledtopermit the box to bedischargedfrom the platform-as the next box to :be filled is delivered thereto by the conveyor 61. The stop 62 is on a bracket 63 which maybe raised'and-lowered through a sleeve-65, corresponding to sleeve'42 of Fig.1. The'filled boxes discharged from the platform 52 are received on a highspeed conveyor 66 that conveys themfrom the machine.

In the form of machine shown in Figs. '8, 9 andl'O, the groups of spools "are fed by, the plunger 24) into a guideway-which comprises -vertical-sides64 and a bottom 67. The bottom has its longitudinal edges mounted to slide in grooves 68 in the lower edges of the sides 64.

When a predetermined number of groups of spools have been delivered to the guideway, the slidable bottom 67 is quickly withdrawn, thus causing the spools to drop into a box 4 on a platform 69 beneath the guideway, this being effected without disturbing the relative positions of the spools.

The boxes to be filled are successively delivered to the platform by .a belt conveyor 70, against a stop 72. When each'box is filled, thestop 72 is-retracted'to permit the next box to be filled to be delivered tothe platform and the filled box to be-discharged therefrom and upon a high speed belt conveyor 73 for discharging the filled boxes from the machine.

The stop 72 is on a bracket 76, and may be raised and lowered through a sleeve 78, the stop being retracted at the proper time to permit the filledbox to be discharged from the platform and upon the discharge conveyor 73.

The slidable bottom 67 has one end secured by a screw to a head 82 on one end of a rod 84. By reciprocating the rod by suitable means (not shown), the bottom 67 may be quickly withdrawn to discharge the spools, and returned to position to receive the nextpredetermined number of spool groups fed into the guideway 64, 67.

What I claim is:

lQIn a machine for boxing spools of the class described, the combination of a support for spools, means for successively deliveringspools in groups to the support,..the-.spools in eachgroup being of a predetermined number ,and .arranged'in axial parallel relation side-byside, a reciprocable member, pins projectingfrom said member corresponding in number to the number .of spools in each group and being arranged in axial ,alinement with. the bores thereof when each group is on said support, a reciprocable plunger for successively moving the groups of spools axially from said supportto place them on said pins, the spools thus placed on each pin being arranged in end-to-end relation, 21 platform fortreceiving open boxes, adapted to be raised and loweredto predetermined positions, and means for successively delivering boxes to the ,platform when the platformis in its lower position whereby, when a predetermined number of-groups ofspools have been positioned ,onsaid pins and the platform is raised to its upper position, the upper portion of a box thereon receives the lower-mortions of the spools, and the spools are free to dropjnto the box when the pins are. retracted therefrom.

2. A structure according to claim 1 in which the spool deliveringmeans comprises an inclined raceway ,down which the spools roll to said supporfiand a stopv isprovided for limiting the spools in each group thus delivered to said support to a predetermined number.

3. A- structure according to claim 1 in which the means for delivering boxes to the platforrncomprises a belt conveyor on which the boxes are arranged one behind the other in side-by-side relation, a stop is provided for limiting the distance each box is thus fed over the platform by said conveyor, and depending means-is provided on the platform for blocking the-delivery of ;a box tothe platform except when the platform reaches its lowest position, whereupon the filled box is discharged from. the platform and anotherbox is delivered thereto, and means is provided for, retracting said stop so as not to interfere with such discharge of the filled box.

4111 a machine for boxing spools of the class 'described, the combination of a support for spools, means for successively delivering groups of spools to said support with a predetermined number of spools-in each group, a plurality of 'pins arranged parallel-and-spaced apart-,means for relatively moving said ,pins and the-successive groups of spools delivered to said support to cause the spools of a predetermined number of groups to be assesses successively threaded on said pins with the spools thus received on each pin arranged end-to-end, and means for positioning an open top box beneath the spools on said pins whereby, upon withdrawing the pins, the spools drop into said box.

5. In a machine for boxing spools of the class described, the combination of a plurality of pins arranged parallel and spaced apart, means for positioning a predetermined number of spools on each pin with the spools arranged end-to-end, the pins extending through the bores of the spools, means for supporting an open top box beneath the pins, and means for relatively moving said pins and spools to discharge the spools from the pins and to cause them to drop into the box.

6. In a machine for boxing spools of the class described, the combination of a support for spools, means for successively delivering spools in groups to the support comprising an inclined raceway connected at its lower end to said support, said guideway having guide rails affixed along its sides adapted to guide the spools as they roll down said raceway toward said support, and a stop disposed on the opposite side of said support from said guideway for limiting the spools in each group thus delivered to said support to a predetermined number, the spools in each group arranged in axial parallel relation side-by-side, a reciprocable member, pins projecting from said member corresponding in number to the number of spools in each group and being arranged in axial alinement with the bores thereof when each group is on said support, a reciprocable plunger movable over said support toward said pins to move each successive group of spools axially from said support and place them on said pins, while simultaneously blocking the spools in said raceway from passing onto said support until said plunger is retracted, the spools thus placed on each pin being arranged in end-to-end relation, a platform for receiving open boxes, adapted to be raised and lowered to predetermined positions, and means for successively delivering boxes to the platform when the platform is in its lower position whereby, when a predetermined numbar of groups of spools have been positioned on said pins and the platform is raised to its upper position, the upper portion of a box thereon receives the lower portions of the spools, and the spools are free to drop into the box when the pins are retracted therefrom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Bruce Mar. 31, 1953 

